Although our dinner hall is as bustling as ever, it was brought to my attention yesterday that the actual number of pupils staying for a school lunch has significantly dropped this year. St Bartholomew’s kitchens are staffed by two fantastic dinner ladies who never fail to have a friendly smile for pupils and staff alike. There are always several delicious options on offer for lunch as well as a breakfast club first thing in the morning and a healthy tuck-shop at morning break. I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage parents and carers to take advantage of the services offered by our kitchens. If your child has never used the breakfast club, tuck-shop or stayed for a school lunch, it’s maybe something you’d like to consider. I’m a visitor to the dining hall morning, interval and lunch and can promise you that the food’s top-notch!

It’s taken a bit of time to reach the top of our to-do list, but the ‘Calendar’ section of our website is now being populated for the 2013/14 session and the months of September, October and November are now live. I hope this section will prove useful in reminding you of the various events happening in St Bartholomew’s and help you plan your diary in advance. Please visit the section regularly as additional events will be added as they arise.

Our Primary 5’s are off to the Time Capsule this morning for their first swimming session. Have a great time, boys and girls… Best behaviour, please!

New roller blinds have now been fitted in Primary 7 and Primary 6. What a transformation! The Primary 4 and 5 classrooms will be done later today.

Our annual sponsored walk has been scheduled for the second last week of term, with funds raised going towards out-of-school trips. Permission letters and sponsor forms will go out today.

The September/October edition of St BartholoNews will also go out today, so please check your child’s school bag. An electronic copy of the newsletter will be available in the ‘News’ section of our website.

Finally, we pause briefly today to remember the dreadful events of 11th September 2001 when the World Trade Centre in New York was attacked, with the loss of 2996 innocent lives. We also remember that we still live in a world divided by conflict and war, where innocent people continue to suffer and die. We pray in particular today for the people of Syria… and make a commitment to let love, tolerance and peace begin in our own hearts and form the building blocks of St Bartholomew’s Primary.

‘See that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but at all times make it your aim to do good to one another and to all people.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:15)